China Dolls
by pretty-lies-ugly-truth
Summary: Someone has been kidnapping and murdering young girls from Roseville. Cammie had assumed it wouldn't happen to her, but after her best friend goes missing, the reality hits home. Whoever is taking Roseville's young girls, has no intention of stopping yet and Cammie is next on his list...
1. Prologue

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

_**I do not own Gallagher girls, Ally Carter does. **_

* * *

_CHAPTER 1_

* * *

_**PROLOGUE **  
_

_The rain was falling hard as the autumn evening crept up.19 year old Macey McHenry was walking down the ally just behind Andrews's lane. It was a shortcut home. The ally was deathly quiet, almost too quiet and she was beginning to regret not calling someone for a lift. She had, of course, heard what had happened. Someone had been abducting young girls, around about her age. It had been happening for about three weeks now and seven girls were missing._

_Her mother had warned her several times now, not to go anywhere alone because there is some weird and messed up people in this world. Of course, Macey didn't think it would happen to her. Why would it? She'd be fine. _

_But, it was dark and cold and she was in an ally. It was almost like a scene from a horror movie and she couldn't help feel a little nervous. She pulled her micro-mini skirt down slightly and walked quicker. She heard footsteps behind her, but not normal footsteps, it was like whoever it was, was sneaking up on her. She quickened her pace and put her head down._

_"Hey Mace," the voice called. Macey breathed a sigh of relief. She knew who it was; it wasn't some strange axe murder. She turned around._

_"Hey," she smiled._

_"You can come back to mine if you like, you look freezing and I only live down there," he said pointing to the cut-off of the ally. Macey pondered the option. She still had a little while to go until she got home, if she went back to his place, she could call her mom or someone to come and pick her up from there. _

_"If your sure that's fine," she said._

_"Of course," he nodded. _

_When they got to the house, Macey resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose at the awful stench. She didn't want to seem rude. _

_"Can I use your phone so I can call my mom?" Macey asked. She was stupid enough not to bring a phone with her, despite what was happening in Roseville at the moment. _

_"Can I offer you a drink or something, and then call your mom to get you? You look freezing," he said heading into the kitchen. _

_"Oh, yeah, please," Macey said sitting on the couch. _

_Macey didn't see the look of pure evil in his eye as he pulled a sharp knife – one that had no place in a kitchen – from the draw and walked back to the living room, waiting to pounce on his unsuspecting victim, ready to end yet another girls life._

* * *

Cammie looked down at the newspaper in her hand and felt a little sick. The headline hit her right at the core.

**_HE STRICKS AGAIN!_**

Directly under the headline was a picture of one of her best friends, Macey McHenry. She, Bex and Macey had been out last night and Macey had walked home early, it would appear she never made it home. She couldn't believe this, for the first time she felt genuinely scared of this guy. He had taken girls she had known, Roseville wasn't a big town after all, but he had never hit this close to home before. It had seemed more like a horror film until now, not reality.

"Cam, you look like you have seen a ghost," Zach Goode, Cammie's flatmate and best friend said as he came into the kitchen.

"Macey's gone missing," Cammie said without taking her eyes of the picture of the raven-haired beauty that was plastered all across the national paper.

"Oh my god, Cammie – that's awful," Zach said sitting down onto the couch next to his best friend. "Do they think it's him?" he asked.

"That's what this says, she was last seen entering the ally near Andrew's street," Cammie said, her stomach felt queasy as she thought of how many times she had walked through that ally. She couldn't understand why Macey had gone down there alone. Even before the disappearances, Cammie only went down there is she was with someone else. Cammie shook her head, maybe she'd never know why she did it. The police weren't saying anything but they weren't looking for live people anymore, she knew they were looking for bodies now. Rivers had been searched, and you don't search a river if you looking for a live person. The police were not saying it, but everyone knew this was a murderer. Some people were even calling him 'The Roseville Ripper'.

"They'll find her, Cammie – just like they will find the others," he said reassuringly.

"Do you honestly believe that?" she said, because she certainly didn't. The first girl had gone missing three weeks ago, and Macey was the eighth to go and was more than likely not the last.

"You mustn't give up," he tried to reassure but he wasn't even convincing himself.

"Zach, if eight girls go missing from one town, it's not just going to be a kidnapping is it? Whoever this bloke is, he's not just locking them in his basement," she said with a shudder. She dreaded to think what he was doing to these girls; it made her sick to the stomach about what could have happened to Macey and everyone else. There was someone, who could possibly be a serial killer, roaming the streets of Roseville. It was someone she more than likely knew.

"Cammie you don't know that –" Zach said.

"Zach, she's my best friend, of course I want her to be alive. I want her to be found but I know, just like everyone else in this town, that that is unlikely."

"I know," Zach said grimly. "But we don't know until they find them."

"Zach, the police are searching for bodies."  
"No, they aren't," he said, trying desperately to convince Cammie that they would find her friend.

"Zach, they are digging up fields and searching rivers – how many people have been found alive after being buried or dumped in a river?" Cammie exclaimed, her eyes tearing at the though of what could have possibly happened to Macey.

"Cammie, don't think like that. If anything you'll scare yourself," he said putting his arm round her shoulder. She rested her head on his chest, the steady beat of his heart comforting.

"Zach, I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know."  
"No, I don't mean just nervous like I was before, like, making sure I didn't go alone places, I mean genuinely scared. I never thought it would happen to me, but it's happened to someone close to me and it's terrified me. If it happened to Macey, who is to say it won't happen to me?"

"Cammie, I won't let it happen to you," Zach said and he meant it, he would do all in his power top protect Cammie.

* * *

_**Okay, I think this will just be a Zammie friendship story as this clearly isn't a romance one and I want explore other plot lines and things. **_

_**Do you want me to continue?**_

_**Please review!**_


	2. China Dolls

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

_**I do not own Gallagher girls, Ally Carter does.**_

_**Thank you so much for your reviews!**_

_**BTW, when it's in italic writing, it's the murderers View. **_

* * *

_CHAPTER 2_

* * *

Zach had gone out with his friends, Grant and Jonas, so Cammie invited Liz and Bex round for a sort of film night/talking about how they couldn't believe Macey was gone. Cammie wanted a catch up with her friends because she had really missed Macey and also she didn't want to be left alone, especially after what had just happened.

Cammie had spent most of the day watching news channels because she desperately wanted to know any developments. Macey's face was plastered across all the national news channels because she was the most recent to go missing and then they mentioned the other seven girls too, and some of their families spoke. Macey's parents had made an emotional plea – like the other family members had when girls from their families had gone missing – for their daughter to be brought home. Cammie had to look away during this part because she couldn't stand watching the despair on her best friend's parent faces.

The news also said that they appeared to be random kidnappings, the only similarities was age, where they were from and the fact that they were female. It wasn't like in some disappearance cases where the girls were homeless or prostitutes, these were all just normal girls.

It is also believed that the girls all must have known the person taking them so that suggested that the kidnapper was from Roseville. A fact Cammie could have told them anyway.

Cammie heard a knock on the door; she felt a quick rush of panic but then shook the thoughts from her head. This was probably Bex and Liz, not some raving axe murderer. Still, she couldn't help feel a little nervous as peeped through the peep hole in the apartment door. She breathed a sigh of relief, it was Bex and Liz.

"Come in," she said as she pulled the door open.

"Hey Cammie," they said as they made themselves comfy on the couch.

"Hey," Cammie said.

"Did you hear about Macey?" Liz asked.

"Yeah," Cammie nodded sadly. "I never expected it to happen to one of us, it's awful," she said.

"I know, did you see her parents on the news this morning?" Liz asked.

"Yeah, it was awful," Cammie said. "I can't imagine how they must be feeling." Whilst she had been watching it, she had tried to imagine how her mom would have felt if it had been her missing and it broke her heart to think.

"I never really thought about the whole 'Roseville Ripper' until Macey went missing, I wasn't really scared before," Bex said.

"Same, I didn't really think it was real until it happened. I wasn't scared until I read the newspaper yesterday," Cammie agreed.

"I must be someone we know though, because Macey wouldn't have gone anywhere with someone she didn't know," Liz said. That was what made it more scary, the fact the we probably knew the murderer and knew them well.

"Its sick, why would someone do it?" Bex said shaking her head.

"We probably won't see her again," Liz said. "I mean the police aren't saying it, but this is a murder investigation."

"I know, I just hope by some miracle we do find her, alive." Bex said sadly.

...

He pulled Macey's lifeless body from the floor where it had remained motionless for the last two days. He opend the closet in the empty backroom. He chucked her body in there like it was doll, not a human and shut the door while he decided where to bury his eighth victim. He pulled his black jacket tighter around his body as he made his way to the icy cellar. He opend the door to the left and there was his 'watch room'. In here, was CCTV cameras that showed the ally just behind his house, the long empty road on the outskirts of town and just outside the main town. The room had shelves along the back wall that was piled high with boxes. He walked over to retrieve one, the one with the photo of his latest victim on the front. His lips curled into an evil smile drew a cross across her smiling face with a thick black marker pen. He carefully opend the box and pulled out the pale white china doll with black hair and painted red lips. He yanked the dolls head off and put the body back into the box. He put the head on the shelf next to the red haired doll at the end. His collection. The china doll heads lined up in his room, whilst the girls lay, just a still and motionless, under his floorboards, behinds his wall and under his new lawn.  
He picked the next three boxes off the shelves, the smiling pictures looked up at him. Shontelle Rogers, Rebecca Baxter and Cameron Morgan.  
The next girls on his list.

* * *

_**I know it's super short, but I hope you liked it. **_

_**Do you still want me to continue?**_

_**Please review!**_


	3. Fright Night

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

_**I do not own Gallagher girls, Ally Carter does.**_

_**Thank you so much for your reviews!**_

* * *

_CHAPTER 3_

* * *

Cammie was asleep peacefully in her bed, her blond hair sprayed out on her pillow, her chest rising gently with every breath she took. Her lips were parted ever so slightly and for these few hours, her mind was free from the terrible thoughts of what could have possibly happened to one of her best friends.

Over her bed, stood two guys, both six foot or taller, watching and waiting. Masks hid there faces as they waited for the right time to strike. One of them, the taller of the two, flicked the light. Cammie's eyes shot open. She rolled over and screamed when she saw the two masked guys, both holding baseball bats.

Then, they dropped their bats and ripped their masks off.

"Zach! Grant!" Cammie screamed as she watched them laughing. "What the hell?"

"We got you!" Grant said. "You shit yourself!"

"I thought you were murderers!" she said with her hand on her pounding chest.

"Oh, c'mon Cam, it was a little but funny," Zach said.

"No it fucking wasn't!" she snapped throwing a pillow at them.

"Ooh, that hurt," Grant said, rubbing his shoulder sarcastically.

"Oh my god, don't do that again," she said standing up.

"Okay, we're sorry, we thought it would be funny," Zach said once he realised he had perhaps scared Cammie too much. He and Grant had planned this a week ago but then Macey went missing the other day and it was perhaps a little in sensitive.

"Okay, I'm going to go," Grant said when he noticed that Cammie was giving him on of her scariest death glares.

"I am sorry, Cam," Zach said once Grant had gone. He sat on the edge of her bed.

"It's okay; I suppose it was quite funny but seriously, don't do it again. You scared the shit outta me!" she said hitting his arm.

"I'm sorry," he said hugging her.

"Well, considering I won't be getting much sleep again now, I have Cookie Dough ice-cream in the freezer, do you want to watch TV?" she asked.

"Is it Ben and Jerry's?"

"Of course," Cammie said. "You know I don't buy that crappie supermarket own-brand stuff."

"That is true, you only buy the best," he said. "Although, I remember once you promised me cookie dough and I got chocolate fudge brownie instead," he sighed with a fake sad face. Cammie giggled as she slipped her onsie on over her short pink pyjamas.

Cammie grabbed the ice-cream tub out of the fridge and two spoons before sitting down on the couch with Zach. He flicked the TV on.

"Crimewatch," he said when he saw the program it was on. "Should I turn over?"

"No, leave it," Cammie said shaking her head. She shoved a spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth and glued her eyes to the TV. Normally, Crimewatch is on about once a month and it was on last week. It goes over serious crime stories like rape, murder etc, and shows you re-enactments. This was a special because the fact that eight girls had gone missing from the same town was getting beyond ridiculous now.

"Are you sure?" Zach asked. He knew Macey would be on it, and the other girls too, and he knew how Cammie felt about her best friends disappearance.

"Yeah, they might tell us more than we know already," she said.

"Now," the presenter said. "Most of us know about what is going on in the picturesque town of Roseville, Virginia. Someone, who has been dubbed 'The Roseville Ripper' by townspeople and the media has been taking young girls from the town.

"The first girl, Elizabeth Norton – " A picture of the young ginger haired girl flashed on the screen. Cammie didn't know her well, but she had been in the same year as her at school and was friends with Zach's sister. " – disappeared around about three weeks ago. Then Mary George, disappeared a few days later." She said. Mary's picture appeared on the screen. Cammie hadn't known her; she was the oldest victim at twenty two. Then the pictures of, Ellie, Rhiannon, Morgan, Megan and Olivia flashed on screen.

"The most recent victim was nineteen year old Macey McHenry," her picture appeared. It was the one that hadn't been taken that long ago. She was smiling with her hair in a bun. It was a nice picture. Macey would have approved. "She was last seen walking into the ally behind Andrews street, she was never seen leaving. The CCTV footage from that night has been completely wiped. This is a re-enactment of what we think could have happened."

A video played, there was a girl who was supposed to look like Macey but really the only similarity was the dark hair, she was taken forcefully, kicking and screaming from the ally by a man in a hoodie.

Cammie didn't believe this. She didn't think that's what happened. For eight girls to have all been forcefully taken, someone would have heard. Someone whose house backed onto that ally would have heard Macey's screams. Whoever it was, was someone that was trusted. The girls will have willing gone with the person, not thinking they were in any danger because they trusted the person they were with.

"Turn over," Cammie said. "Put the news on or something, I can't watch this program, it scares the shit out of me as it is, let alone when its about something going on in my town."

Zach nodded and put one of the news channels on, not surprisingly; it was all about 'The Roseville Ripper'. They were talking about all the different girls who had gone missing. They had said what Cammie had thought, that the person taking the girls was someone that the girls will have trusted.

Cammie felt sick at the thought, someone she trusted could be out to get her.

* * *

_**Again, this wasn't that long but it was longer than the last one.**_

_**Please review!**_

_**[RADOM AN: So, any of my fellow UK people reading this, who has been watching Xfactor? I'm wanting Union J to win, purely because of George Shelley. (I'm writing this on sunday morning so i don't know if they are through or not yet but their performance last night was slightly disastrous, I blame louis walsh) **_

_**Those of you who have read my other stories may remember my Tom Daley obsession - don't get me wrong my love for him his still strong (just look at all the pictures of him (possibly in his speedos) on my laptop) well, i think my George Shelley thing is taking a turn in that direction. **_

_**I'm also a little (sorry, fuck that, A LOT) obsessed with nathan sykes from the wanted, i'm sorry but when he sings live, i just can not cope.**_

_**I don't know why I'm telling you this because you don't give a fuck but oh well:)]**_

_**[RANDOM AN 2: Also, I have been watching Americas next top model on letmewatchthis, and i must say, the girl (Victoria I think her name is) with the scary obsession with her mum, scares me. My favourite is laura. does anyone else watch it?]**_

_**Again, I don't know why I told you that because I'm sure you don't care.**_

**_If you managed to read through all of that shit, then I love you._**

**_Please review guys._**


	4. An old friend

_**CHINA DOLLS**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Gallagher girls.**_

_**Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews!**_

_**ILOVEYOUALL.**_

* * *

_The rain was falling heavily as he creeped into Rebecca Baxter's garden. He clutched his binoculars tightly to his chest as he slipped through the gate and up the tree at the bottom of the garden. The dark night hid him well as he climbed the tree effortlessly. He sat on a branch that was well shielded from anyone's view. He slipped his binoculars out and pressed them against his face. He pointed them to the window where he could see the young girl clearly. She was sat on her bed in an oversized white T-shirt and her hair was up in a messy ponytail. _

_She was on the phone to someone and he could read what her lips were saying. He watched her mouth moving carefully. She would be meeting her friend Cammie for coffee tomorrow. She would be walking up St Michaels street afterwards. _

_He smiled his evil smile as he slipped his binoculars back into there case. He slipped down the tree with as much ease as he had going up. He crept through the shadows until he was back onto the main street. _

_When he got back to his house, the awful stench of rotting flesh growing on him now, he went down to his watch room and took his mask off. He hung his black leather coat on the coat hook and placed his binoculars carefully on the shelf. _

_On his walls, pictures of Cameron and Bex were scattered like posters. He had discovered Shontelle was away for a few weeks which was a slight inconvenience to his plan but it did not matter greatly. He would get Rebecca tomorrow and then go after Cammie. He would get Shontelle another time._

_He walked into the room where Macey's body was hidden in the wardrobe and unlocked it quickly. Macey had only been in here a few days so her body was still in relatively good condition. He carried her out and down the stairs into the living room. He placed her gently on the floor and closed her wide eyes with his fingers. He lifted up a few floorboards and placed her underground, alongside Ellie. He placed the floorboards back down and closed the door behind him. _

_Now all he needed to do was plan how to lure his next victim in. _

...

The hot water tingled against Cammie's skin as it poured from the shower. After the initial shock of such hot water had worn off, Cammie found it quite relieving. Cammie could always think the most in the shower. It was the only time her head was completely clear. Most of the time she had so much stuff running through her brain she barley had time to think but in the shower she had a completely different perspective on things.

She had to be careful though, she often lost track of time when she was in the shower and only realised how long she had been in when the hot water ran out.

This morning was different though, she had a quick shower because she didn't want to think straight. When she was thinking, she couldn't get Macey and what could have happened to her off her mind.

She got out of the shower and wrapped her towel round her quickly so she didn't get cold and hurried across to the warmth of her bedroom. She blow-dried and straightened her hair before putting it in a ponytail and getting ready for work. She put a little foundation and lip gloss on, too.

She put on her black jeans and the black polo top she was required to wear coffee shop she worked at in town. She pulled on her grey hoodie and slipped her feet into her black ballet flats.

Zach wasn't up yet so she decided to skip breakfast so she didn't wake him and headed out into the bitter cold. Wishing she had worn a warmer coat, she hurried down the street, careful not to take any shortcuts.

By the time she got to the coffee shop, her cheeks were flushed from the cold and she was frozen right to the core.

She pushed open the door with her frozen hands, the sudden warmth and smell of freshly ground coffee pleasant and welcoming.

"Hey Cammie," her boss, Ricky said pleasantly.

"Hello," Cammie said as cheerily as she could muster up.

"I'm sorry about your friend, you and Macey were close weren't you?" he said with genuine sadness.

"Yeah, we were very close," Cammie said looking down at her hands.

"I hope the police find whoever this sick person is," he said shaking his head with disgust. "He needs finding; I don't understand what's taking them so long though. Eight girls have gone missing; you would have thought there would be some sort of clue, some sort of lead."

"You would have thought so, but maybe he is just really, scarily good," Maria, one of Cammie's co-workers said.

"That's probably the case, and if it is, that makes it so much scarier," Cammie said.

"It's awful," Ricky said shaking his head as he walked into the back of to get something. Maria went of to finish wiping down the tables so Cammie took her place behind the counter.

The bell on the door snapped Cammie from her thoughts. She looked up to see a familiar face, one she hadn't seen since high school.

"Oh my god, Josh?" she exclaimed once she saw her old friend. His lips curled into a slight smile and he walked over to the counter. "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"I know, we just fell out of touch after high school," he said. At high school, he and Cammie had been quite close and he had fallen for her hard but she never saw anything but friendship between them. It was his first major heartbreak and he had never truly gotten over it.

"I know, I don't know why, though. We were so close," Cammie said sadly.

"Yeah, we should have a proper catch-up sometime," he said.

"Cammie, please stop gossiping with the customers," Ricky called from the back. "We have a bit of a queue forming." Cammie rolled her eyes.

"Would you like anything, Josh?" She asked. Josh looked up at the menu.

"Yes, I'd like a latte, please," he said.

"Okay, that'll be $2.19," she said tapping buttons on the till.

"Okay," he said handing over the money.

"If you'd like to take a seat, I will send Maria over with it," she said with a smile. Josh wandered over to his seat. "Hello, how may I help you?" Cammie asked the next person in line.

...

Cammie took a sip from her steaming hot coffee as she waited for her friend Bex in Starbucks. She clasped her hands around the mug to warm her cold hands.

Outside, the rain was hitting the windows hard and people were hurrying past with their coats pulled tight to them, and all of them slightly on their guard or clutching their children's hand a little tighter, not willing to take any chances.

Bex pushed the door open and tottered over to Cammie in her really high heels, her black leggings clinging uncomfortably from the rain.

"You look like a drowned rat," Cammie giggled as Bex slumped into her seat.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she shot Cammie a glare across the table.

"You're welcome," Cammie smiled sweetly. "Oh, guess who came into the coffee shop today?"

"Who?" Bex asked. She took a sip from Cammie's coffee, too lazy to get her own.

"Oh, Bex of course you can have some of my coffee, thank you for asking so very nicely," Cammie said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Aw, thank you Cammie, you're such a good friend," Bex retorted smugly. "Anyway, who did you see?"

"Josh."

"What? The Josh that had a mad crush on you in high school?" She said raising and eyebrow.

"He didn't have a mad crush on me," Cammie said with a roll of her eyes. She had heard rumours at the time that Josh was madly in love with her, but she had never believed them to be true.

"Whatever," Bex said. She took another sip from Cammie's coffee.

"Just have the coffee," Cammie sighed.

"Okay, cheers," Bex shrugged.

"Do you think I should meet up with him?" Cammie asked.

"I don't know, what will Zach think?" Bex said.

"What does it matter what Zach thinks?"

"Well, everyone is just waiting for you two to hurry the fuck up and get together."  
"Zach and I are just friends," Cammie said shaking her head.

"Well, if you're still to stubborn to see that, then go for it, meet Josh."

"Alright, I will do," Cammie said. "Only as friends though."

"Oh shit, is that the time?" Bex said with annoyance. "I need to go home so I can get changed for my interview later, I'll see you around, Cam."

"See ya, Bexy Boo," Cammie smirked.

"Never, ever call me that again," Bex called as she walked out the door.

...

Bex's whole body shook from the cold as she walked up the back road that leads to her house. Despite it being only early afternoon, it was almost dark due to the grey sky. Bex looked down at her favourite shoes and groaned when she realised they were ruined. Her leggings were soaked and the thin white shirt she was wearing had gone see-through and clung to her. She wished she had brought a coat, or had a car. She was going to call her roommate, Liz, for a lift but her phone was dead and Liz was probably at work.

Bex could see car headlights in the distance and felt instantly jealous of the person behind the wheel being all warm and dry whilst she was out here in the torrential rain. She squinted as the car got closer, certain she recognised the face behind the wheel. The car slowed as it got to her, and then it stopped. The inside rolled the window down.

"Hey, Bex," he smiled. "You want a lift?"

"Oh, please, if that's okay," she said but she was pulling the door open before he could answer.

"You look soaked," he laughed.

"What was your first clue?" she giggled. As he drove up the road, she fished around in her bag for a hairbrush.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," she sighed chucking her bag into the foot well of the car.

"What is it?" he asked taking his eyes briefly off the road.

"I've left my key at home," she groaned.

"Oh, you can come back to mine to dry off if you like? Then call someone to get you," he suggested.

"Oh is that okay? I don't think Liz will be back 'till late though."

"It's fine, you can stay as long as you like," he offered.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

* * *

_**Okay, so a few people PM'd me to ask where I got my inspiration for this from, and I just want to say, I'm not some mentally sick person who thought of this on my own and someone who is sick in the head, we have been doing about the death penalty at school in PSHE and we have also been doing about some of the crimes people have been committing to receive the death penalty, including mass murderers, it inspired me to write a mystery/murder thing. This is loosely based on a few of the serial killers murders we have been doing about. It's like a mixture of a few.**_

_**Anyway, what did you all think?**_

_**Please, please leave a review on the way out.**_

_**THANKYOU.**_


	5. Last moments

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 5_

* * *

He watched her slender figure walk up the garden path. She was strong, but he could easily take her.

He was surprised when she didn't pull a face or even wrinkle her nose up at the stench as she walked in.

"I like this," she said running her fingertips around the edge of the elaborate mirror that went from wall to floor. He couldn't help but wonder if she would still like it if she knew what was behind it. He doubted it.

Not that she would ever find out.

"It was my grandma's," he lied. He walked into the living room calmly, assuming she would follow him.

Bex frowned when she saw that the thick black curtains were drawn. "Do you want me to open these?" she asked.

"No, its fine," he said coolly. She raised and eyebrow but she didn't say anything. She turned on her heel to look at the painting on the wall. She was surprised with how the house seemed to be stuck in early 20th century as appose to 2012. The wallpaper was a deep green colour with golden swirls, the floors were wooden and there was a fire place in the centre of the room. The closed curtain gave the room a creepy feel and Bex was regretting coming back here. She couldn't explain why but something didn't feel right. Something was very wrong.

Then she saw something that sent shivers down her spine and chilled her to the core.

In the corner of the room,was a lone red Louboutin shoe with golden swirls on. A unique design. A one of kind. There was only person who owned those shoes and that one person was Macey McHenry.

It clicked in Bex's head then. The killer was someone everyone trusted, and she had just trusted him. He was the killer. She, like all the other girls, had walked straight into his trap. She wanted to turn and run but she had seen him lock the door so unless there was a door at the back, she wasn't get out of her.

He stepped closer to her. Bex's body tensed and she took a step back but she was right up against the wall now, there was no where to run.

"What's wrong?" he asked in not-very-genuine way.

"I know who you are…" Bex said, her voice was barley a whisper.

His lips curled into an evil smile, his eyes twinkled darkly, "And what's that?"

"Y-y-you're…the R-Roseville ripper…" she stammered. She tried desperately not to show that she was terrified but it was harder than she thought.

He laughed terrifyingly. "That's what they're calling me, eh?" Bex squirmed, trying desperately to think of an escape route. She decided to get him talking for as long as possible, so she could think of something. "You know, no one else had caught on," he said not once taking his cold eyes off of her. "You friend, Macey certainly didn't."

"You killed her…"

"I'm sure your friend Cammie won't realise either," he smirked. He placed his hand on her get cheek. She turned her head away.

"You won't get her," she said, a sudden rush of courage coming from someone inside her. "And you won't get me either," she hissed. She brought her knee up and crashed it against his crotch. He winced in pain as his knee's buckled. When his hands rushed to clutch his injured manhood, Bex saw this as her time to run. She bolted towards the door, and fumbled with the handle. She let out sigh of frustration and anger when she realised it was locked. She hit the door in anger. She didn't know what to do. She decided to run towards the window, she planned to jump out of it but he had had chance to recover now. He grabbed her leg as she ran sending her flying to the floor. She let out a gasp of pain as her face hit the floor. She could feel the blood pouring from her nose. She tried to pull herself to her feet but he dragged her closer to him.

"Help!" She screamed in a desperate attempt to save herself.

"No one can hear you, these walls are soundproof," he said with a devious grin. He sat on her, legs either side and pinned her arms down. She wriggled desperately but it was no use, he was much, much stronger than her. He bent her arm back, making a sickening crack. Bex screamed out in pain. She tried to move her arm but it wouldn't budge, it was broken. He pulled out a silver, gleaming sharp knife which had a terrifying look. Bex's eyes widened in terror. Her whole body froze in complete terror. She didn't move, she couldn't move. Her body wouldn't let her.

He plunged the knife into her stomach. Blood oozed out. He ignored her terrified screams and pleas to stop. He stabbed the knife into her again and again, her screams ringing out through the room. Her blood dripped onto the wooden floor. He continued to plunge the knife into her almost wrecked body until the screams ceased. He pulled the blood covered knife from her and tossed it aside.

Her whole body was wrecked and bleeding, her clothes drenched in her own blood. He stood up and looked down and the girl who lay battered and bloody in front of him.

He left the room, to go and wipe her blood from his body.

No emotions crossed his face as he planned where to put her body. He didn't care one bit that he had another girls life.

* * *

**_What do you think?_**

**_This chapter was awful, I know. _**

**_Thanks for reviewing._**

**_Please reveiw guys!_**


	6. Lurking in the Shadows

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 6_

* * *

The rain hammered against the window heavily and matched Cammie Morgan's mood perfectly. She pulled her knees tight up against her chest and stared into the horrid weather, feeling worst than the outdoors looked.

She had just seen a news story that had chilled her to the core. Her best friend, Rebecca Baxter, hadn't been seen since yesterday. Her family had reported her missing and the police were conducting a search for and had come to the conclusion it had been, most likely, the 'Roseville Ripper' who had taken her and potentially murdered her.

Cammie couldn't understand, Bex wouldn't have just gone somewhere with someone, especially with what was going on. The person wasn't just known by her, he was known reasonably well by her for her to have even spoken to him, let alone gone somewhere with him.

Of course, it wasn't 100% known that the victims had gone somewhere willingly with this man, but the police and the media had said that was the most likely case. After all, if it had been done forcefully, someone somewhere would have heard or seen one of the nine girls screaming or fighting him off or something like that.

Another thing that was scaring Cammie was the fact that the Roseville Ripper was getting so close. At first, the girls hadn't been that well known by Cammie, she had just known of them but now two of her best friends – her streetwise best friends – had gone missing without a trace.

He could be coming for her next and she would be lying if she didn't admit that that thought terrified her.

She was alone in her apartment this week, too. Zach was visiting his family in New York and wouldn't be back until the Friday. She didn't like the thought of being home alone. Especially after what had happened to Bex and Macey.

Her phone buzzed on the table, making her jump out of her skin. She could have kicked herself for being foolish enough to jump at such a petty thing. She pulled the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Josh," the friendly voice on the end of the line said.

"Oh, hi," Cammie smiled, happy to hear a friendly voice.

"Do you wanna go out for a meal on Friday night? Just as friends like."

"Um, yeah, sure," Cammie said. Zach was getting back then so he would be able to unpack in peace whilst she was out and would be nice to have some company.

"Okay, I'll pick you up at 8?" He suggested.

"Yeah, that's sounds great," she agreed. They said there goodbyes and ended the phone call. Cammie then spent the rest of the evening watching the news for updates on Bex and the other girls.

She had heard it all before, it was the same stories over and over again.

...

_Cammie's dirty blonde hair was spread out across her pillow and her cheeks were a rosy red. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed peacefully and her eyes were delicately closed._

_ His eyes scanned her little room. She had a double bed that took most of the space up and a wardrobe and dresser. She had jeans and a t-shirt pilled up on the chair and a few posters of bands on her wall. She had a bookshelf full of books and DVD's and her laptop sat closed on her desktop. _

_He was stood still in the doorway to her room, hiding at a safe distance. He always felt the need to spy on his victims before he caught them – he enjoyed the risk and the thrill of it. It excited him. _

_He thought of the China Dolls in his basement, the dark face of his ninth victims doll added to the shelve, the rest of the body in her box. He thought of Cammie's doll, the next one to be added to the collection. His lips curled into a dangerous smile as he thought of his collection, he was doing so well. He was taking girls left right and centre and no one had any idea it was him. He was trusted too well by the girls of Roseville, the thought made him want to chuckle but he suppressed it, not wanting to blow his cover._

_The Roseville girls were too dumb for their own good, just walking into his traps. _

_He crept out of the apartment and hurried out, whilst his next victim slept peacefully._

_What he didn't know was that someone else was lurking in the shadows, watching him. _

* * *

**_What do you think?_**

**_Sorry about the long time to update but it's October half term now and I haven't been given any homework so I should be able to update more. I was going to update this yesterday but all my friends came over before I had the chance to upload it and because we didn't get to sleep until 6:30 in the morning, in my I forgot to upload but here it is!_**


	7. Suspect

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 7_

* * *

It was Friday evening and Cammie had just finished getting ready. Zach was back and fast asleep in his room and Cammie decided it would be best if she didn't disturb him. He had had a long journey and had been stuck in traffic for hours on the way home so he was exhausted and catching up on his sleep. His visit to his family had worn him out, as it always did. His family stressed him out. There had always been tension as Zach hadn't exactly been a perfect child. He had behaviour issues. Not an actual condition like ADHD or anything like that, he just couldn't behave himself. He had gotten involved in a gang and gone down the wrong path a few times.

But now, of course, that was all changed but the fact that he had changed, doesn't change the fact he put his family through a lot and there is a lot of resentment towards each other that no one wants to, or chooses not to, change.

So naturally, family visits don't always go smoothly and his parents and the rest of his family are just waiting for the screw up of the family to screw up again.

The clock on the mahogany dresser beeped when it got to 8pm. Barley a second later, Cammie's phone buzzed in her purse. She assumed it was Josh telling her he was outside.

She pulled her phone out and sure enough, it was Josh. She text him back to tell him she was on her way.

She checked her hair in the mirror and straightened her smart-casual dress. She debated taking a jacket but they would most likely be sat indoors so she decided against it. She doubted they would be sitting outside considering the awful weather that seemed to be unusually common in Roseville.

She locked the door behind her and wandered down the stairs. She hurried to Josh's car, holding her bag above her head in failed attempt to shield herself from the rain.

She slid into the car and shut the door quickly.

"Jesus, it's cold this evening," she said shaking the water from her bag.

"You should have brought a jacket," Josh smiled.

"Yeah, I should have," Cammie laughed.

"Hey, the restaurant I booked had double booked us so do you want to go back to mine instead? I think I have some ready meals or something," Josh said as they drove down the road.

"Yeah, that's fine," Cammie shrugged. "It's been a long time since we spent anytime together," she added.

"I know," Josh said but he seemed distant from the conversation.

"Uh, are you alright? You seem a little…preoccupied," Cammie asked when she noticed how he seemed distracted. It was like he was there but his heart wasn't.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired," he shrugged.

"Oh, if you want to do this another night, that's fine," Cammie suggested. She didn't really fancy spending an evening with someone who didn't really want to be there.

"No, no," he insisted. "Tonight's fine."

A few moments later, they pulled up outside his house.

"We're here," he said.

...

Grant was sat with his feet up on his sofa, stuffing his face with popcorn. He lived in the apartment just across the hall from Cammie and Zach and he was going to go and see Zach later because he knew Cammie was out but for now he decided to watch TV.

He tossed the empty box of popcorn to the floor, just as his film had finished. He took a sip from his coke can and waited to see what was on next.

He sighed when he saw it was the news. He didn't like watching the news because it was always depressing but the controller was at the other end of the sofa and it was too much effort to get it so he decided to catch up on the news. Who knows, there might even be something on 'the Roseville Ripper'.

Sure enough there was.

The text on the screen boldly stated that there was a new lead in the case.

Then he saw something that made his mouth go dry and his skin crawl. His ears seemed to stop working as the words the reporter was saying didn't go in or make sense to him because his eyes were locked on the picture of a suspect.

"Holy shit," he whispered. He dropped the empty can to the floor.

He got up and shot across the hall, hammering his fist against the door, almost making a dint. His heart sped up. He knew who that person was and he knew who was with that person right now.

Zach opened the door.

"Sup? I was sleeping," Zach said tiredly.

"Where is Cammie?" Grant demanded pushing his way into the apartment.

"Out with that Josh kid, why?" Zach said, unsure what was going on.

"Oh shit, have you just seen the news?" Grant said, his face going paler.

"No…" Zach trailed off, wondering where this was going. "Wait, you watch the news?"

"Shut up, this is serious! They just showed a picture of a suspect in the murder-abduction case," he began. He talked so fast, eagerly getting his words out as fast as possible. "The suspect is Josh, they're hunting him now."

Zach nearly threw up in his mouth.

"What? As in the Josh Cammie just left with?"  
"Yeah…"

* * *

**_THANKYOU SO SO SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS GUYS._**

**_What do you think?_**

**_HAS ANYONE SEEN THE HALLOWEEN PRETTY LITTLE LIARS? ASDFGHJKL!_**

**_I had to watch it online because it wasn't shown in england:( but OMG GARRETS DEAD?! _**

**_And I'm sorry but there is something suspicious about paige. And I wonder if the series will go down the same route as the books.  
_**

**_ALSO, y'no that little girl in Hanna's house? Was she the same girl in the story ali was telling hanna in the last Halloween special? If not they looked really similar._**

**_please leave me a review, you have no idea how happy they make me!_**


	8. Skeletons in the window

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 7_

* * *

Zach couldn't think straight, they had gone out looking for Cammie themselves without thinking and he was now wishing they had alerted the police first. Roseville is notorious for its bad mobile phone reception and tonight it was really living up to its name. The police station was on the other side of town and they had the choice of searching for Cammie or going on a fair trek which would take a lot of time and Cammie could have potentially be dead by the time they get there.

"We've searched every place in the main town, she's not here," Grant sighed in frustration as they left the last bar.

"Where has he taken her?" Zach snapped.

"I don't know," Grant said scuffing the ground with his shoe. Grant hated not knowing something and something this big was driving him insane.

"Maybe he took her too his house, that would make sense," Zach suggested.

"Yeah…wait, where does he live?" Grant said. This was a good plan, it would, however, be even better if he knew where Josh actually lived.

"Doesn't he live near that ally way near where Macey was last seen?" Zach said. His skin crawled at the words 'last seen'.

"Yeah, lets go," Grant said running off down the road.

"Do you know what house it is?"

"No idea…look for the one with skeletons in the window or something," Grant suggested.

"Seriously, what are on about?" Zach snapped.

"Sorry, you know I try to be funny in times of desperation," Grant said.

"Well that wasn't funny!"

"Sorry."

"You know what the worst bit about all this is? Well not the worst but the most annoying bit. If we don't get there in time, I will never have got to tell her I love her."

...

Cammie was surprised when she got into Josh's house. She hadn't expected this at all. She knew the houses down here were old but she didn't expect it to be so old fashioned inside. The floor boards were loose and creaky. The wall paper was old and gave the house a spooky feel.

Then there was the awful smell. It smelled like something rotting or going off. The stench clung to the furniture and the walls. Cammie felt nervous and started to really regret coming here. She couldn't explain why but something about this place was scary, it screamed fear at her.

"Do you want to go through there whilst I get us something to eat?" he said.

"Um, sure," Cammie said. She walked into the room he pointed to, it was like a living room but it had no feeling of life to it. She had seen the main downstairs room just on the other side of the hall so she didn't know why she was in here. There was no carpet or rug on the wooden floorboards. The walls were covered with deep green wallpaper.

Against the back wall was a stiff looking black couch. She sat on it and tried to think of excuses as to why she could leave. She shuffled on the couch for a few moments, trying to get comfy. It was like there was something under the cushions. She stood up and looked at the couch. It didn't seem like it was hiding a load of rubbish or something but something was making it uncomfortable.

She pulled at the stiff cushion until it moved. She lifted it off and placed it on the floor.

"Oh my god!" She shrieked. She jumped back and pressed herself against the wall. She took a deep breath and carefully stepped towards the couch again, to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

Sure enough, hidden away under the cushions was the body of a girl who had been effectively torn to shreds. She was laying there, twisted in an unnatural way. The body of Bex.

Cammie screamed and ran towards the hallway door. She had tears pouring down her face. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her best friend was laying butchered under a couch and she was next in line.

She yanked the door open and froze. Josh was stood there with no expression.

"Cammie, what's wrong?" He asked with fake sympathy. He cupped her face with his hands. Cammie hit his hands away quickly.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed at him. " You've killed my friends but you are not going to get me!"

An evil snigger escaped his lips and sent shivers down her spine. "Oh, are you sure about that?"

* * *

**_Thanks for reviewing guys!_**

**_What do you think?_**

**_please leave me a review, you have no idea how happy they make me!_**

**_Okay, this wasn't going to be a Zammie story but Zach's in love so looks like (if he gets there in time) it will be zammie. _**


	9. To the rescue!

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 9_

* * *

The air was cold and the breeze was icy. The path had begun to freeze over slightly making the ground slippery. Grant and Zach were almost at Josh's house now, and Zach was constantly checking his phone for signal but he wasn't in luck.

"Zach…" Grant panted. The pair of them had always been fit and healthy but Grant never did well with long distance running. He liked to think of himself as a cheetah, running fast for a short amount of time. "I have stitch," he clutched his side as he gasped for air.

"We're almost there," Zach said speeding up. He wanted to save Cammie. He needed to save Cammie.

"Zach go on without me…" Grant said dramatically.

"For god's sake! I can't fight a serial killer by myself you Muppet! Now come one!" Zach snapped. He grabbed Grants wrist and pulled him forward. Grant groaned and used the last of his will power to push himself to the end of the ally.

They scanned the street, Zach looked for the sliver car he had seen Josh in around town. He found it pretty fast.

"That's the house," he said pointing and running. Grant followed.

Zach ran up the steps and charged against the door. When it didn't budge, he tried the handle. It was locked.

Zach hammered his hand against the door, desperately hoping someone would answer. "It's locked," he said to Grant when he got to the end of the drive way.

"It's alright, " Grant said. "Move, I'm stronger than you."

"You're going to knock the door down?" Zach said sceptically.

"Yeah."

...

Josh had an evil look in his eyes as he stared at Cammie.

"You know, I've been looking forward to you the most," he said. He pushed Cammie into the room and up against the wall. Cammie didn't know what to say at all to that. Her insides shook as he stood so close to her, blocking her exit.

It all started to make sense now; the girls were all young and all at school with him at the same time. Josh wasn't super popular but he was known throughout the school, he had had friends in all the years. It made sense for people to trust him, after all she had trusted him easily.

He was clever really, he knew exactly what he was doing and how to fool everyone. It was sick and twisted and minds like his belonged in a psychiatric ward but it was clever all the same.

"W-w-why?" she stammered. Her best bet was to keep him talking. She could think then and maybe someone – it was a long shot but she had seen enough movies for it to be a possibility – to come and rescue her.

"You broke my heart," he spat. He twisted her hand against the wall. Cammie winced and fought hard to hold back any noise coming from her mouth. She didn't want to appear weak.

"It was just in high school, you could have easily found another girl, Josh," she said. She tried to keep her body from shaking but it was hard. It was so cold in here and she was terrified.

"No, you were the love of my life. It's too late now anyway, all the girls your age in this town will be dead soon," he laughed.

"Was that supposed to be a joke? 'cause it isn't funny!" Cammie said. She tried to hold eye contact with him but it was difficult to look at such sick minded person.

"I can understand why you might not find it funny," he said. "You know Macey, her death was quite quick. I sprung on her from behind. Bex on the other hand, that was messier," he said with an evil twinkle in his eye. Cammie felt her stomach churn.

"Don't tell me…please…" she begged. She didn't want to know how her friends died or how much pain they were in before hand.

"She was terrified," he whispered menacingly. Cammie didn't do anything to stop the tears falling. The image of Bex under that couch sprung to mind, the way she was twisted unnaturally and the way she looked like she'd been butchered. It took a lot to scare Bex and when she was scared, she was terrified. She didn't dare imagine what she was feeling as he ended her life. "I'm going to make you suffer." He grabbed her upper arm and threw her across the room."The best thing is, no one will know it was me!"

Cammie's head made a sickening crack against the wall. She put her hand to where it hurt and when she pulled it away, it was covered in blood.

"Oh god," she whispered. Josh walked over to her and kicked her in the stomach. Cammie let out a cry of pain. She wanted to fight back but she wasn't quite with it, she felt distant and her head was spinning. She screamed in pain as he stomped on her leg, cracking in it.

She thought she could hear more voices but she wasn't sure if it was her disorientated mind playing tricks on her or not.

"Cammie," I familiar voice said. Cammie forced her eyes open and didn't know if the image of Zach and Grant standing in the centre of the room was real or not.

"Zach…" she said quietly.

"No," she heard Josh say in frustration. "This can not be happening." He pulled her up by her arms and threw her to the floor. He charged at Grant and Zach, hoping to be able to take them out. He was wrong.

He swung his fist at Grants face but Grant was too quick for him and grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back.

On the other side of the room, Cammie dazedly fumbled in her bag. She pulled out her phone and dialled 911 clumsily.

"Hello, what is your emergency?" The operator said.

"I need help," she trembled. "The Roseville ripper got me…Josh…he's trying to kill me and my friends…."

"Could you give me the address, please?" the operator said. Cammie thought for a moment before she remembered and then she rattled it off. "Okay, I'll send someone out, can you do-" and then the line went dead. Cammie felt better knowing someone was on there way.

Grant still had hold of Josh. Zach ran over to Cammie, and held her in his arms.

"Cammie, it's going to be okay…" he said looking at the battered girl in his arms. "Grant, we're leaving now." Grant twisted Josh's arm again before throwing him to the floor. Zach and Grant helped Cammie up and towards the hallway. Just as they were about to leave, Josh lunged towards Cammie's side with a sharp shiny object, he then collapsed back to the floor in pain.

Cammie winced, her body somehow unable to let out a sound.

"Oh shit, Grant we need to get her outside, fast…he's just stabbed her." They hurriedly got her outside and sat her down on the wall and held her up.

"She called the cops, help will be here soon…" Grant said.

"They need to hurry, she's losing a lot of blood.

Then Cammie's eyes flickered shut and her body flopped.

* * *

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**_please leave me a review, you have no idea how happy they make me!_**


	10. The definition of evil

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 10_

* * *

The normally peaceful street was quickly becoming packed with police and ambulance crews, as well as townspeople, all curious to find out what was going off.

Zach stood as on the side of the road as they put Cammie onto a stretcher and sent her off in the ambulance. He had to wait to be interviewed by police, otherwise he would have gone with her. He hoped and prayed she would be okay, he didn't know what he would do without her.

Some officers were inside with Josh, but they hadn't brought him out yet. Zach felt sick just at the thought of his name.

"Hey dude," Grant said as he sat on the wall with Zach. He had just finished his interview with the police. "There is something I have to tell you, I've just told the police and I know I should have told them sooner," he said. Zach looked up at him.

"What is it?"  
"The other night, when you were away, I was in the hallway outside your apartment but I was sort of in the shadows. I was looking for something and then I saw a Josh leaving yours and Cams apartment. He didn't see me and I just assumed they were…Y'know…but maybe he was spying on her or something," he said.

"He was watching her?" Zach said, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"I think so…" Grant said.

"Oh my god…it's so creepy," he said shuddering a little.

"They're searching the house…for…bodies," Grant said, feeling slightly sick.

"I hope Cammie will be okay…" Zach said.

"If we had been a few minutes later…she might be–" Grant began but Zach cut him off.

"Don't, we got there, that's all that matters now." He dreaded to think what would have happened if they hadn't gotten there, what still might happen if the doctors can't save her.

Zach's thoughts were soon replaced by disgusted and anger when he saw Josh being escorted to the police car. His head was hung low and an expression of frustration was on his face. He wasn't struggling against the officers, he just let them take him. He knew he had lost now. It was sickening to see him, he had no remorse or regret on his face, it was just anger at being caught.

Zach knew Cammie had been one of the 'lucky' ones. She still had a chance at life. All those other girls didn't.

He couldn't get the image of Bex out of his head. He had seen her in that couch and he could only begin to imagine how Grant felt right now. Grant and Bex had a bit of a thing for each other but neither would admit it. Now she was…dead. He could only imagine how it must have felt. He had no idea how distraught he would be if he hadn't got there in time for Cammie. So what Grant must be going through right now must be awful.

Cammie had had Zach and Grant to help her, to save her. Bex or Macey or any of the others didn't have that. They had been alone, scared and with no one but Josh.

It made him sick to the stomach.

Josh was the true definition of evil.

...

It was a few hours later, and Zach was sat in the waiting room, awaiting Cammie to come out of surgery or at least some news on her condition. The whole town was swamped with reporters and people were trying to talk to him. Zach kept his lips sealed, just as he had been instructed to by the officers he had been interviewed by.

Grant had gone home, he couldn't bear to be near the house and he didn't want to come to the hospital. He needed time to think about Bex. He had hoped she would come back but obviously now, that was out of the question.

"Excuse me, Mr Goode?" A nurse with red curly hair and pale skin said to Zach.

"Um, yeah," he said.

"Ms Morgan is out of theatre, the operation went well and she should come round very shortly. The police will obviously need to speak to her, but you should be able to see her very soon. I understand it was you who saved her?" she said.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "She's fine?"

"Well, she will need rest but there is no reason why Ms Morgan won't make a full recovery," the nurse said.

"Thank you," Zach smiled.

Cammie was going to be okay.

He knew now, he would never let anyone harm a hair on her head ever again.

He would protect her now. Properly protect her.

* * *

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**_What do you think?_**

**_please leave me a review, you have no idea how happy they make me!_**


	11. Inquires

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 10_

* * *

Zach had been sat in the waiting room for so long now and it was the early hours of the morning; he had lost count of the hours after about five. First off, Cammie had been in theatre for god knows how long. Then, it had taken her longer than expected to come round. Now, the police were talking to her. Zach wasn't allowed to see her until then, but he didn't mind waiting, as long as he got to see her in the end.

Zach took a sip from his coffee, not even tasting it as the burning liquid slipped down his throat. It wasn't long since the interview he had had with the police. They asked him the questions he had expected and he was more than happy to co-operate. They had also told him that, when it came to it, both he, Grant and Cammie would have to testify in court. Zach was, again, more than happy to co-operate. He would do anything to make sure that animal went down. The police had also told him, with the evidence against Josh, he would more than likely go to prison for life or end up in a hospital for the mentally unstable for life. Either way, he wouldn't get out, ever.

Zach glanced up at the TV on the back wall of the hospital, it was only playing quietly but he could make out what was being said.

"The Roseville Ripper has been caught!" The reporter said. "The suspect, Josh Abrams was arrested yesterday evening in his home after he had lured another unsuspecting victim in. Josh has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight girls and acting with the intent of killing one more," the reporter said.

"Cameron Morgan, was lured in by Josh and was only saved when her friends, Zach Goode and Grant Newman **(A/N I don't know if that's his name or not, but I've seen it used in endless fanfics)**. They had seen that Josh was being looked for by the police, shortly after she had left with him. The pair then acted upon this and went looking for Cameron. They found her just in time and alerted the police of Josh's position. Ms Morgan is currently recovering in hospital.

"Mr Abrams is now in police custody and helping them with there inquires." The reporter finished.

The other reporter glanced down at the papers and began to speak. "Police are searching the home of Mr Abrams and they have found four bodies. One is believed to be of Rebecca Baxter and she was found under the couch. Another girl was under the floorboards of the lounge, one was in an upstairs closet and another was found in the in the cellar. These girls have yet to be identified. Also, found in the cellar was a collection of china dolls and information on at least 30 of Roseville's girls. The china dolls all have resemblances to the victims and it is all believed to be part of Mr Abrams sick, twisted murders." Zach looked away from the screen. Not only had he killed nine girls, he had planned on killing a load more. It sickened him. He didn't know why drove a person to do such a thing. Yes, Josh must be mentally unstable but still, what makes a person do that?

"Mr Goode," The same nurse as earlier said, breaking him from his thoughts. "You can come through to see Cammie now." Zach nodded and followed. He saw three police officers leaving her room, he followed the nurse in.

Cammie was sat up in bed. She had tubes coming out of her and the faint sound of beeping from machines filled the room. She had stitches on her forehead he could assume there were some on the back too. Her arm was in cast, as well as her leg. She had bruises up her arm and on her face. He hadn't realised the extent of her injuries. He knew she had hurt her head and been stabbed, but he didn't know about all the rest.

"Cam, how are you feeling?" he asked. He squeezed her good hand.

"I'm alright, considering," she said, squeezing his hand back. "Zach, I don't know how to thank you, you saved my life," she said. "You and Grant did, thank you."

"Cammie, I'm so glad you're okay," he said.

"Have they found anyone?" she asked. She wanted to know about the other girls, the one's who didn't have a Zach or a Grant to rescue them. She wanted them to be found, so there families could have peace. She couldn't imagine what there families were going through, but at least now, they could lay their girls to rest and finally have closure.

"Yeah, there was…Bex" Zach paused, thinking of how heartbroken Grant was. "And three others. They're still looking."  
"It's awful," Cammie said. "I never in a million years thought he would do it, he always seemed so nice," she said shaking her head.

"Cammie, as soon as you're better, I'm taking you away somewhere hot and nice. So you can feel better. You probably want to be out of Roseville, so we're going," Zach said.

"The police said we have to stay until after the trial, which will be sooner than usual because of the circumstances," Cammie said.

"Okay, when the trial is done." Zach held her hand tight. "Cam, you have no idea how worried I was about you, I thought I'd lost you…"

"You haven't though, and that's what's important."

"I promise, I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

* * *

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**_A lot of you think this is almost over, but I still have something's to cover yet so there is still more to come:)_**


	12. Emotional scars

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 12_

* * *

It had been two months since Cammie had gone over to Josh's house. It had been two months since she was nearly killed. It's been two months since The Roseville Ripper was caught.

Although Cammie had recovered from her injuries, the emotional scars were still there. She would wake up screaming in the middle of the night because she was dreaming that he had come back to get her. Her nights were often haunted by the awful image of her dead best friends.

Sometimes, for a second, she'd forget – well not forget, but the thoughts were somewhere buried inside her – then she would see something that reminded her and it would all come flooding back.

Zach hadn't told Cammie how he felt; he wanted to make sure she was emotionally stable from what had happened to her before he dropped a bombshell like that on her. They had been best friends for as long as he could remember and didn't want to screw that up, especially when she needed him most.

He had, of course heard her terrified screams in the night. They happened most nights and with out fail, he ran in to comfort her, to make sure she was alright. He had stayed with her until she fell back into a restless sleep, sometimes he even stayed until morning.

He knew she wasn't been completely honest about how she felt, he knew she had been effected by this more than she let on.

She never liked being the centre of attention; she didn't like telling the people she was close to that she was hurting, either. She hated dumping people with her problems and refused to go to therapy, insisting she was fine.

Cammie was good at putting a mask on, hiding how she felt but Zach could see right through it.

He could see it in her eyes. She was extra careful meeting new people and she had lost an awful lot of trust in the people she had left. The only close friends she had now were Liz, Zach, Grant and Jonas and she was even being slightly distant with them.

Zach had noticed that the night terrors were getting worst, now the trial was approaching. It was all being dragged back up. Not so long ago, when her night terrors weren't as bad, it wasn't on the news as much but now more things were being discovered as the trial came up and it was really getting to her again.

He wished she would open up to him, but she just wouldn't. He had no idea how she must feel, he had never been through what she had but he could guess how she was feeling from how the life had gone from her eyes, how the spring was going from her step and how the shine from her smile had gone. Everything seemed so forced. He hated seeing her like this but there wasn't much he could do.

...

When Zach walked into the living room, Cammie was sat on the couch in her pyjamas with a blanket, her vacant eyes glued to the TV screen.

"Hey, Cammie," he said as cheerfully as he could muster up. He sat on the chair and looked to see what she was watching. The news, again. She needed to stop watching this; it wasn't helping her at all. "Cammie, why do you watch this? It's the same stuff over and over."  
"I don't know," she said quietly without taking her eyes off the TV. The news was explaining how the trial was coming.

"Cammie, I'm worried about you," Zach said. He hadn't confronted her about it, but she needed help and she wasn't opening up to him.

"Why?" she asked. She turned to face him and Zach could see her face was paler than usual; she had bags under her eyes. She didn't look like herself anymore, she wasn't herself anymore.

"You've been through a lot, Cam, and it's really taking its toll on you. It's perfectly normal for someone who has been through what you've been through but you really need to talk to someone about it. You won't open up to anyone – don't even try and tell me you're fine. I can see it in your eyes and your screams at night. If you won't talk to me or anyone, maybe you should talk to a therapist or someone."

"I don't need help," she said defensively.

"Cammie, you do. Anyone in your situation would, please Cammie, I'm worried about you," he said, he desperately wanted to help her but she just wouldn't accept it.

"There's no need to be, I'm fine," she said.

"Cammie–"

"Look, I'll be fine once the trial is over, alright?" she said. She got up and went to her room. Zach sighed. He hoped she was right.

* * *

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	13. The nightmare is finally over

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 13_

* * *

Cammie's heart was pounding her chest as she sat on the cold, hard bench in the courtroom. Josh had just been brought out into the dock. He had an evil smug look on his face, like this didn't bother him one bit. He seemed annoyed he was here, but he wasn't sorry – not one bit.

Cammie was surprised with how sick he still made her feel. Looking at him, made her shake with terror. He had a presence about him, how she didn't pick that up about him when she went to his home was beyond her.

"Mr Abrams," the judge began. Cammie kept her eyes on the judge, not Josh because if she looked at him, she was scared she'd bottle it and run. "Are you aware of the charges before you?"

Josh clenched his jaw, "yes."

"The charges before you are the murder of nine women and attacking with the intent of death, is this clear to you?" The judge said.

"Yes." His face was cold as he spoke. The judge then proceeded to speak about the case, what he did, where the girl's bodies were found and so on.

"Now," the judge said. "Could Ms Morgan please give her evidence?" Cammie shakily stood up, and made her way to the box. She could feel all eyes on her.

"Please give your name," the judge said.

"Cameron Anne Morgan," she said quietly.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to speak up," the judge said. Cammie cleared her throat.

"Cameron Anne Morgan," she said.

"And your age please, Ms Morgan."  
"Nineteen."

"Could you please confirm that this is in fact the man who attacked you?"

"Yes," Cammie replied. She could feel Josh's eyes burning into her so she kept her eyes locked on the judge.

"How did you know Mr Abrams?"

"I went to school with him," she said.

"Right, have you always kept into contact with him?"

"No, I hadn't spoken to him in about a year."  
"What made you speak to him again?" the judge asked.

"Well, we were quite close at school so when I saw him at the café I worked at, I was more than happy to come back into contact with him," she said.

"Right, did you approach him?"

"No, he approached me – he called me not long after Bex had gone missing."

"Bex? As in Rebecca Baxter?"

Cammie swallowed at her friend's name. "Yes."  
"And what did he say?"  
"He wanted to know if we could go to dinner or something," she said.

"And you agreed?"

"Yes."  
"Why?"  
"Like I said earlier, we used to be close; there was no reason for me not to."

"You went back to his, is this true?"  
"Yeah, he said we were having dinner at his, I didn't think there was anything strange about it."

"Right, when you got to his house, was there anything weird about it?"

"When I went in, I thought the house seemed trapped in the wrong decade, not the sort of place a young person would live in. There was an awful smell, too, like rotting," she said.

"Right, where did you go when you got there?"  
"I went into one of the backrooms and he went to get food. I sat on the couch but it was really uncomfortable. I assumed there was something under it so I lifted the cushion and I…I…" Cammie said, tears welling in her eyes as she let the memories flood back. The horror of seeing her best friend's body still fresh in her mind. Still haunting her. "She was there…" she said, trying desperately to hold the tears in – not wanting to come across as an emotional wreck.

"Who was there Ms Morgan?" the judge asked. Cammie was sure he knew the ins and outs of the case so there wasn't a need to ask. She assumed it was to make sure she was telling the truth.

"Bex…" she said. "She was under the couch."

"What did you do when you saw Ms Baxter?"

"I screamed," cammie said. She felt so weak and vulnerable right now. She had kept a lot of this stuff locked away, not letting people know how she felt but now, now it was all pouring out. "Then he came in and attacked me, that's a bit of a blur, I remember hitting my head but I'm not quite sure when that happened. Then Zach and Grant came in and saved me… I was stabbed on the way out but that's about all I can remember," she said.

"Okay, Ms Morgan, thank you."

Cammie left the witness box and returned to her seat. Zach and Grant were up after but she didn't really listen. She was too busy reliving the horrors that had gone on. She could feel Josh's eyes on her for the rest of the court case. It went on for hours, but time appeared to fly by.

She knew the case was coming to a close, she knew a verdict would be coming soon. The jury were discussing now, she knew it had to be a guilty verdict. She knew he was guilty – everyone is this room knew it but she still felt nervous.

She was snapped from her thoughts when a member of the jury stood up.

"Have the jury come to a conclusion?" the judge asked.

"Yes, we have."  
"Are you all in agreement?"

"Yes. We all came to the conclusion the Joshua Abrams is guilty."

Cammie felt instantly relieved. It was like a weight lifted off her shoulder. The judge told Josh of his sentence, how long he would be behind bars and what not. Cammie was eager to get out of that room, away from all that and never look back. It was over now.

The nightmare was finally over.

* * *

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**_What do you think?_**

**_I have never been in a courtroom before so I've just done that based on the amount TV I've watched so I apologise if it's wrong._**

**_I was going to so a few more chapters but I think I will just do one more now. I did have a few ideas but I think if I did do them it would take this story to far away from what it is._**


	14. Kind of boost

_**CHINA DOLLS**  
_

* * *

_CHAPTER 14_

* * *

Cammie felt both emotionally and physically exhausted when she got home. The last few months and the trial had really taken it out of her. She didn't feel like herself anymore, she felt like a shell of herself. It was like she was there but she wasn't.

Now the trial was over, she wanted to start building her life back together. She couldn't stay in this state forever. She was telling everyone she was fine but she was far from it. She was surprised with how everyone had believed that she was going okay.

Well, everyone except one.

Zach could see through it, she knew that but he didn't know how to help her.

As well as the ordeal of the last few months, she had the confusing feelings she had started to feel towards Zach.

They had always been good friends, the best of friends in fact. She was happy with that situation. Well she was.

It was like ever since Josh had nearly killed her, she had felt something different towards Zach and she wasn't quite sure what it was. It was like the whole thing with Josh made her open her eyes and realise what was in front of her. She realised you can't take things for granted because you don't know when everything will be so cruelly snatched away.

Well…maybe she had been taking Zach for granted.

...

Just when she thought she had closure, it was all over the news. Again.

"God, do people not get tired of hearing the same damn story every flaming day?" Cammie snapped.

"You'd of thought so," Zach sighed sympathetically. He felt for Cammie, he really did. All she wanted to do was move on from this horrific ordeal, but the news kept dragging it up. Everyone was walking on eggshells around her, scared they'd upset her or cause a mental breakdown if the wrong thing was said but in reality Cammie just wanted normality back. Zach tried to be normal around her but he was getting genuinely concerned for her, she didn't seem to be the same person anymore. He didn't know how long he could pretend everything was fine when it so clearly isn't.

"I thought this would all be over after the trial," she said.

"They're just talking about the trial again, they'll stop showing it soon enough. You don't have to watch it, you know." Zach looked over at Cammie whose eyes were glued to the screen. She didn't have to watch the news channel but she insisted on it. It wasn't helping her. She was trapped in this little bubble.

"You know what, Cammie?" Zach stood. He didn't know if he was angry, annoyed, upset or all three. He knew she couldn't help being in the state she was in but she wouldn't except help. It was killing him not being able to help her and he had finally had enough. "You need help. Seriously. You told me you'd be fine after the trial so I let it go, but you aren't. I understand you have been through a lot and it would take it out of the strongest of people. You are one of the strongest people I've ever met, but not even you can do this by yourself. If you won't see a therapist, at least talk to me. It helps, I promise. I can't watch you like this anymore. You have everyone fooled that you're fine but not me. I can tell that you're hurting and stuff but you won't let me help and it's the most frustrating thing!" He hadn't realised he was shouting until he'd finished. Cammie was standing just inches away from him. He took a good look at her. Her face was bare of her radiant smile like it had been for so long. Her usually sparkly eyes were plain and lifeless.

"I'm fine, Zach." The lie was so terrible even she didn't believe it. She couldn't admit to anyone how she felt, not even Zach. She didn't know why. She could trust Zach with her life. She realised then it wasn't that she couldn't open up to him, it was that she wouldn't.

"This is exactly my point. You won't let anyone help you! I'm offering to help you, Cammie," he said, his voice low and tender.

She couldn't hold it back anymore. What she was thinking about the other day, about how she may have taken Zach for granted was flooding back to her. She loved him. She knew that now. How many guys would have stood by their best friend through all this?

She grabbed him and pulled him close to her. Her lips met with his along with the desperate need for each other. Her whole body felt so alive in away she had never felt. In this short time, she felt happier than she had in months. It was as if everything that had just happened, hadn't happened.

She would talk to him about things more now. Let him know how she was feeling but right now, she needed this.

That moment of happiness, the rush of the kiss had given her a kind of boost. The kind of boost that could get a person through life.

The kind of boost she so desperately needed.

* * *

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